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The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley

Consisting of Those which were formerly Printed: And Those which he Design'd for the Press, Now Published out of the Authors Original Copies ... The Text Edited by A. R. Waller

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26

ODE.

1

Here's to thee Dick; this whining Love despise;
Pledge me, my Friend, and drink till thou be'st wise.
It sparkles brighter far then she:
'Tis pure, and right without deceit;
And such no woman ere will be:
No; they are all Sophisticate.

2

With all thy servile pains what canst thou win,
But an ill-favor'd, and uncleanly Sin?
A thing so vile, and so short-liv'd,
That Venus Joys as well as she
With reason may be said to be
From the neglected Foam deriv'd.

3

Whom would that painted toy a Beauty move,
Whom would it ere perswade to court and love,
Could he a womans Heart have seen,
(But, oh, no Light does thither come)
And view'd her perfectly within,
When he lay shut up in her womb?

4

Follies they have so numberless in store,
That only he who loves them can have more.
Neither their Sighs nor Tears are true;
Those idlely blow, these idlely fall,
Nothing like to ours at all.
But Sighs and Tears have Sexes too.

5

Here's to thee again; thy senseless sorrows drown'd;
Let the Glass walk, till all things too go round;
Again; till these Two Lights be Four;
No error here can dangerous prove;
Thy Passion, Man, deceiv'd thee more;
None Double see like Men in Love.